EP0045693A2

EP0045693A2 - Photographic element for two-sheet diffusion transfer photography

Info

Publication number: EP0045693A2
Application number: EP81401240A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wayne Arthur Bowman; John Francis Bishop; John Michael Noonan
Original assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Current assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date: 1980-08-01
Filing date: 1981-07-31
Publication date: 1982-02-10
Also published as: JPS5758148A; CA1141581A; EP0045693B1; DE3169822D1; EP0045693A3; US4297432A

Abstract

A photographic element for use in two-sheet diffusion transfer photography is described which contains a support, a neutralizing layer, a timing layer, a vinylidene chloride polymeric layer, a polymeric primer layer, and at least one silver halide emulsion layer having a dye image-providing material associated therewith. The vinylidene chloride polymeric layer and the polymeric primer layer prevent unwanted transfer of portions of the emulsion layer to the image-receiving layer when the receiving layer and photographic element are peeled apart. The polymeric primer layer can be either an ionic vinyl polymer or an ionic polyester.

Description

This invention relates to a photographic element for use in two-sheet for diffusion transfer photography. In such a photographic element two primer layers are present between a silver halide emulsion layer and process control layers (timing and neutralizing layers). These primer layers comprise (1) a vinylidene chloride polymeric layer, and (2) an ionic vinyl polymeric or ionic polyester layer which layers together prevent unwanted transfer of portions of an emulsion layer to an image-receiving layer when the receiving layer the photographic element are peeled apart.
In a two-sheet diffusion transfer process, a photosensitive or donor element is employed along with a dye image-receiving element. The image-receiving element comprises a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer. The donor element comprises a support having thereon at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith dye image-providing material. The donor element also contains process control layers for terminating development after the required development has taken place. The process control layers prevent any significant change in image formation from occurring beyond the optimum time required for development and useful transfer of dye. Such layers include one or more timing and acid (neutralizing) layers.
In practice, the donor element is exposed, soaked in an activator or processing composition, and then laminated to the image-receiving element. An imagewise distribution of dye image-providing material from the donor element diffuses to the image-receiving element. After a required period of time, the two elements are separated.
The physical parameters of this system are stringent. All layers of the donor and image-receiving elements must be uniformly coatable, be stable and have good wet and dry adhesion. The donor element must retain physical integrity while soaking in a highly alkaline processing composition for ten seconds or more at temperatures ranging up to 32°C. The donor element must uniformly unite with the surface of the image-receiving element and, after passage through processing rollers, remain tightly in contact with the receiving element without external pressure for the time required to transfer the dye image. This processing time may exceed ten minutes at temperatures which may vary over a wide range. Finally, the donor and image-receiving elements must be cleanly separable without appreciable effort and must produce no surface distortion in the receiving element.
It has been difficult to simultaneously meet all of the above objectives in a two-sheet diffusion transfer assemblage. A problem of poor wet adhesion between the timing layer and the adjacent emulsion layer has been encountered which results in unwanted transfer of portions of the emulsion layer to the image-receiving element when the donor and receiving elements are separated.
It is desirable to provide a photographic element for a two-sheet diffusion transfer assemblage which does not have poor wet adhesion between the timing layer and the adjacent emulsion layer.
In U.S. Patent 4,097,282 heat-activatable adhesive compositions are described for use in photographic image transfer materials. These adhesive compositions are similar to various ionic polyesters which have been found to be useful as one of the polymeric primer layers in this invention. However, such adhesives are used to seal a cover sheet to the edges of a photographic element.
In Research Disclosure 18452, August 1979, a vinylidene chloride polymeric layer is disclosed as a timing layer. In U.S. Patent No. 4,061,496, the use of two timing layers is disclosed. One of these timing layers can be a vinylidene chloride polymer. The use of a vinylidene chloride polymeric layer in combination with an ionic polymeric layer as primer layers as disclosed herein is not described in these references.
This invention is based on the use of primer layer compositions to provide good wet adhesion during the lamination period without the need to increase the force required to separate the donor element from the image-receiving element after development, and without transferring any of the emulsion layer to the receiving element. These layers are coatable without special techniques, are stable and flexible, do not affect donor element sensitometry, and do not materially affect the timing layer breakdown time.
This invention provides a photographic element which comprises a support having thereon, in order, a neutralizing layer, a timing layer and at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a dye image-providing material, wherein a layer of a vinylidene chloride polymer is present between said timing layer and said emulsion layer, and a coextensive polymeric primer layer is present between said vinylidene chloride polymer layer and said silver halide emulsion layer, said primer layer comprising:

(A) an ionic vinyl polymer comprising 10 to 30 weight percent of recurring units which conform to the structure:
and 70 to 90 weight percent of recurring units which conform to the structure:
wherein:
- each R is independently hydrogen or methyl; each R¹ is independently a straight or branched chain alkylene group of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, such as ethylene, propylene, trimethylene or tetramethylene;
- R², R³ and R⁴ are each an alkyl or substituted alkyl group (including aralkyl, such as benzyl) of 1 to 7 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or hexyl;
- each G is independently oxygen or NH; and
- X^⊖ is an acid anion, such as chloride, bromide, acetate, methosulfate or p-toluenesulfonate; or
(B) a ionic polyester comprising recurring units of (I) a diol component which comprises :
- (a) at least 50 mole percent of units derived from diols having the structures:
  - (i)
    wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 4; and
  - (ii) 0-(R⁶O)-_m, wherein m is an integer of from 2 to 4, and R° is an alkylene group of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as ethylene, propylene, trimethylene or tetramethylene; and
- (b) 0 to 50 mole percent of units derived from one or more diols having the structure:
  wherein R¹ is an alkylene group of up to 16 carbon atoms, such as ethylene, propylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, hexamethylene, 1,12-dodecylene or 1,16-hexadecylene; a cycloalkylene group of 6 to 20 carbon atoms, such as 1,3-cyclohexylene, 1,4- cyclohexylene, 2,3-norbornylene or 2,5(6)-norbornylene; a cycloalkylenebisalkylene group of 8 to 20 carbon atoms, such as 1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene or 1,4-cyclohexylene- diethylene; an arylenebisalkylene group of 8 to 20 carbon atoms, such as 1,4-phenylenedimethylene or 1,4-phenyl- enediethylene; or an arylene group of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, such as phenylene, tolylene or naphthylene; and
(II) an acid component which comprises:
- (a) 8 to 30 mole percent of units derived from one or more ionic dicarboxylic acids, said units having the structures:
  
  , and
  wherein M is ammonium (including tetra- organo ammonium, such as tetramethylammonium or tetraethylammonium) or a monovalent metal, such as sodium, lithium or potassium; and
- (b) 70 to 92 mole percent of recurring units derived from other diacids.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the recurring units derived from the other diacids comprise one or more of the following:

(A) 0 to 80 mole percent of diacids which may be:
- (I) aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, said units having the structure:
  wherein p is an integer of from 2 to 12;
- (II) cycloaliphatic diacids, said units having the structures:
  or
  , and
- (III) aromatic diacids, said units having the structure:
(B) 0 to 60 mole percent of recurring units having the structure:
or
(C) 0 to 30 mole percent of recurring units derived from an alkylenebisamide, said units having the structure:

wherein each Z is iminocarbonyl or carbonylimino, and q is an integer of from 6 to 10.
A photographic element in accordance with this invention may be combined with a dye image-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer. The image-receiving element is adapted to be superposed on said photographic element, after exposure thereof, to form a photographic assemblage.
A photographic image can be produced using the photographic element of this invention by immersing an exposed photographic element in a processing composition, and then bringing the photographic element into face-to-face contact with a dye image-receiving element as described above. The exposed photographic element can be immersed in the processing composition for periods of time ranging from 5 seconds to 30 seconds at temperatures from 15°C to 32°C to effect development of each of the exposed silver halide emulsion layers. The photographic element is then laminated to the dye image-receiving element by passing the two elements together in face-to-face contact through the nip of two rollers. The assemblage so produced is then left laminated together for a period of time ranging from between 1 minute and 15 minutes. An imagewise distribution of dye image-providing material is thus formed as a function of development, and at least a portion of this image diffuses to the dye image-receiving layer to provide the transfer image. The receiving element is then peeled apart from the photographic element. The image formed in the receiving element can either be a negative or a positive, depending upon whether or not the photosensitive emulsions employed in the donor element are negative emulsions or direct-positive emulsions, and depending on whether positive-working or negative-working image-forming chemistry is employed.
Vinylidene chloride polymers useful in the practice of this invention include:

Compound 1

Poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride-co-acrylic acid) (weight ratio 14/79/7)

Compound 2-

Poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride-co-acrylic acid) (weight ratio 10/85/5)

Compound 3

Poly(monobutyl itaconate-co-vinylidene chloride) (weight ratio 9/91)

Compound 4

Poly(methyl acrylate-co-vinylidene chloride-co-itaconic acid) (weight ratio 15/83/2)
The vinylidene chloride polymer layer may be coated at coverages ranging from 0.15 to 1.5 g/m^2. Good results have been obtained at coverages ranging from about 0.25 to 0.75 g/m².
Ionic vinyl polymers useful in the practice of this invention include the following:

Compound 5

Poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyltrimethyl- ammonium methosulfate-co-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (weight ratio 20/80)

Compound 6

Poly[N-(3-acrylamido-3,3-dimethylpropyl)-N,N,N- trimethylammonium methosulfate-co-N-(2-hydroxyethylacrylamide)] (weight ratio 20/80)

Compound 7

Poly[N-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-N,N-dimethyl-N-benzylammonium chloride-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate] (weight ratio 20/80)

Compound 8

Poly[N-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy- propyl)-N,N,N- trimethylammonium chloride-co-2,3-dihydroxypropyl acrylate] (weight ratio 20/80)

Compound 9

Poly[N-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-N,N,N-trimethyl-ammonium-p-toluenesulfonate-co-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate] (weight ratio 20/80)
The ionic vinyl polymeric layer may be coated at coverages ranging from 0.15 to 1.5 g/m². Good results have been obtained at coverages ranging from about 0.25 to 0.75 g/m^2. The ionic polymer layer may also contain hydrophilic colloids, such as gelatin, if desired. In some embodiments of the invention, the ionic polymer may be mixed with the overlying emulsion layer, if desired.
The ionic polyesters useful in the present invention are formed by condensing a glycol component of one or more polyhydric alcohols with an acid component of at least two carboxylic acids, each containing at least two condensation sites. It is noted that amido groups can be used as linking groups, rather than ester groups. This modification is readily achieved by condensing in the presence of amino alcohols or diamines. The carboxylic acids can be condensed in the form of a free acid or in the form of a functional derivative, such as an anhydride, a lower alkyl ester or an acid halide.
Exemplary diols which are utilized in preparing the condensation polyesters useful in this invention include 1,4-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy)cyclohexane, l,4-bis(2-hydroxypropoxy)cyclohexane, l,4-bis(2-hydroxybutoxy)cyclohexane, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, neopentyl glycol, 2-ethyl-2-methyl-1,4-butanediol, 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 2,3-norbornanediol or 2,5(6)-norboranediol. The corresponding diamines can, if desired, be substituted for the diols in forming condensation copolymers useful in the present invention. One or a mixture of diols and/or diamines can be used also.
Ionic dicarboxylic acids in the above formula are disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,546,180 and 3,929,489 and in British Patent 1,470,059.
From about 70 to about 92 mole percent of the acid component of the polyesters useful in the present invention is derived from one or more other diacids or functional derivatives thereof. Exemplary of such diacids are aromatic dicarboxylic acids, such as phthalic acid, isophthalic acid or terephthalic acid; aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, such as malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic and other higher homolog dicarboxylic acids which may be aryl- or alkyl-substituted; cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acids, such as 1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 3,5-cyclohexenedicarboxylic acid, or 1,5-cyclohexa-1,3-dienedicarboxylic acid; light-sensitive ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, such as p-phenylenebisacrylic acid, as disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Patent 3,929,489 ; alkylenebisamides, such as N,N'-bis(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,8_-octanediamide and 1,6-bis-(4-carboxyphenylcarbonylamino) hexane. Mixtures of these acids can also be employed.
Ionic polyesters preferred in the practice of this invention include:

Compound 10

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene)-co-1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene (50:50) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-1,6-hexylenebis (iminocarbonyl-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'-sodioiminodisulfonyldibenzoate (55:20:10:15)].

Compound 11

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-1,6-hexylenebis-(iminocarbonyl-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'- sodioiminodisulfonyldibenzoate (55:20:10:15)].

Compound 12

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-1,8-octylenebis-(carbonylimino-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'- sodioiminodisulfonyldibenzoate (55:20:10:15)].

Compound 13

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophen-oxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (15:55:30)].

Compound 14

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophenoxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (45:40:15)].

Compound 15

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(l,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophenoxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (60:10:30)].

Compound 16

Poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) sebacate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate (80:20)].

Compound 17

Poly[l,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) terephthalate-co-I-methyl-I-cyclohexene-4,5-dicarboxylate-co-5-(N-potassio-p-tolylsulfonamidosulfonyl)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (10:70:20)].
The condensation polyesters described herein can be prepared by procedures well known in the art for making linear condensation polymers, particularly interfacial, solution or ester interchange procedures, the latter being preferred. Reaction times are a function of all other variables and, as such, are governed by the inherent viscosity desired for the resulting polymer.
When employing interfacial procedures, polymerization is carried out in suitable halogenated solvents, such as methylene chloride, chloroform, dichloroethane or propylene dichloride. Reaction temperatures are governed by maintenance of a practical rate of reaction and the boiling point of the solvent, with a range of 10°C to 40°C being suitable.
Solution polymerization procedures can be carried out by condensing suitable acid halides, such as chlorides, of the dicarboxylic acids to be incorporated with the desired diols in a suitable solvent, such as phenylenebis(acrylic acid chlorides), hexamethylenebis(4-imino-carbonylbenzoic acid chlorides) or sodioiminodisulfonyl-dibenzoic acid chlorides, in the presence of a suitable acid acceptor, such as pyridine, triethylamine or tripropylamine. The acid acceptor can be employed in excess to serve as the solvent.
The preferred mode of preparing the polyesters disclosed herein is the ester interchange procedure either by melt or powder process, and preferably by the melt process. The diols of the glycol component and the carboxylates of the acid component are heated to a melt on an approximately equal molar basis and treated with a transesterification catalyst, such as alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonates, oxides, hydroxides, hydrides and alkoxides; or compounds of a Group IVB metal of the Periodic Table, such as tetraisopropyl orthotitanate, butyl titanate, organo-metallic halides and complex alkoxides such as NaHTi(OC4Hg)2. As a practical matter, it is frequently desirable to utilize an excess of up to about 80 molar percent of the glycol component in the reaction mixture. Low boiling alcohols are removed by distillation during polymerization.
It is desirable that the condensation copolymers described herein exhibit an inherent viscosity of from about 0.15 to about 0.90 and preferably from 0.2 to 0.8, as measured at 25°C at a concentration of 0.25 grams per deciliter in a 1:1 mixture of phenol and chlorobenzene.
The ionic polyester layer may be coated at coverages ranging from 0.15 to 1.5 g/m². Good results have been obtained at coverages ranging from about 0.25 to 0.75 g/m².
The dye image-providing material useful in this invention is either positive- or negative-working, and is either initially mobile or immobile in the photographic element during processing with an alkaline composition. Examples of initially mobile, positive-working dye image-providing materials useful in this invention are described in U.S. Patents 2,983,606; 3,536,739; 3,705,184; 3,482,972; 2,756,142; 3,880,658 and 3,854,985. Examples of negative-working dye image-providing materials useful in this invention include conventional couplers which react with Canadian Patent 602,607. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the dye image-providing material is a ballasted, redox-dye-releasing (RDR) compound. Such compounds are well known to those skilled in the art and will react with oxidized or unoxidized developing agent or electron transfer agent to release a dye. Such nondiffusible RDR's include positive-working compounds, as described in U.S. Patents 3,980,479; 4,139,379; 4,139,389; 4,199,354 and 4,199,355. Such nondiffusible RDR's also include negative-working compounds, as described in U.S. Patents 3,728,113; 3,725,062; 3,698,897; 3,628,952; 3,443,939; 3,443,940; 4,053,312; 4,076,529; 4,055,428; German Patents 2,505,248 and 2,729,820; Research Disclosure 15157, November, 1976 and Research Disclosure 15654,_April, 1977.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, dye-releasers such as those in U. S. Patents 4,053,312 and 4,076,529, referred to above, are employed. Such compounds are ballasted sulfonamido compounds which are alkali-cleavable upon oxidation to release a diffusible dye from the
nucleus.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, positive-working, nondiffusible RDR's of the type disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,139,379 and 4,139,389 are employed. In this embodiment, an immobile compound is employed which as incorporated in a photographic element is incapable of releasing a diffusible dye. However, during photographic processing under alkaline conditions, the compound is capable of accepting at least one electron (i.e., being reduced) and thereafter releases a diffusible dye. These immobile compounds are ballasted electron accepting nucleophilic displacement (BEND) compounds.
The photographic element of the present invention is used to produce positive images in single or multicolors. In a three-color system, each silver halide emulsion layer of the photographic element will have associated therewith a dye image-providing material which possesses a predominant spectral absorption within the region of the visible spectrum to which said silver halide emulsion is sensitive, i.e., the blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer will have a yellow dye image-providing material associated therewith, the green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer will have a magenta dye image-providing material associated therewith and the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer will have a cyan dye image-providing material associated therewith. The dye image-providing material associated with each silver halide emulsion layer is contained either in the silver halide emulsion layer itself or in a layer contiguous to the silver halide emulsion layer, i.e., the dye image-providing material can be coated in a separate layer underneath the silver halide emulsion layer with respect to the exposure direction.
A variety of silver halide developing agents are useful in this invention. A combination of different electron transfer agents (ETA), such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,039,869, can also be employed. While such developing agents may be employed in the liquid processing composition good results have been obtained when the ETA is incorporated in a layer or layers of the photographic element or image-receiving element. When so incorporated the ETA's are activated by the alkaline processing composition.
In using dye image-providing materials in the invention which produce diffusible dye images as a function of development, either conventional negative-working or direct-positive silver halide emulsions are employed. Such emulsions are described in Research Disclosure, Vol. 176, December 1978, Item 17643, pages 22 and 23.
Internal image silver halide emulsions useful in this invention are described more fully in the November, 1976 edition of Research Disclosure, pages 76 through 79.
The various silver halide emulsion layers of a color film assembly employed in this invention may be disposed in the usual order, i.e., the blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer first with respect to the exposure side, followed by the green-sensitive and red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers.
Any material is useful as the dye image-receiving layer in this invention, as long as the desired function of mordanting or otherwise fixing the dye images is obtained. The particular material chosen will, of course, depend upon the dye to be mordanted. Suitable materials are disclosed on pages 80 through 82 of the November, 1976 edition of

Research Disclosure.

Use of a neutralizing layer in the photographic elements of this invention will increase the stability of the transferred image. The neutralizing material will effect a reduction in the pH of the image layer from about 13 or 14 to at least 11, and preferably 5 to 8 within 3 to 4 minutes after imbibition. Suitable materials and their functions are disclosed on pages 22 and 23 of the July, 1974 edition of Research Disclosure, and pages 35 through 37 of the July, 1975 edition of Research Disclosure.
One or more timing or inert spacer layers can be employed over the neutralizing layer which "times" or controls the pH reduction as a function of the rate at which the alkaline composition diffuses through the inert spacer layer or layers. Examples of such timing layers and their functions are disclosed in the Research Disclosure articles mentioned in the paragraph above concerning pH-lowering layers.
The above-described acid layers and timing layers together constitute process control layers for "shutting down" the system after the required development has taken place.
The alkaline processing or activating composition employed in this invention is the conventional aqueous solution of an alkaline material, e.g, alkali metal hydroxides or carbonates such as sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or an amine such as diethylamine, preferably possessing a pH in excess of 11. In some embodiments of the invention, the processing composition may contain a developing agent. Suitable materials and addenda frequently added to such compositions are disclosed on pages 79 and 80 of the November, 1976 edition of

Research Disclosure.

Supports for the photographic and image-receiving elements used in this invention can be any material, as long as it does not deleteriously affect the photographic properties and is dimensionally stable. Typical flexible sheet materials are described on page 85 of the November, 1976 edition of Research Disclosure.
The term "nondiffusing" used herein has the meaning commonly applied to the term in photography and denotes materials that for all practical purposes do not migrate or wander through organic colloid layers, such as gelatin, in the photographic elements of the invention in an alkaline medium and preferably when processed in a medium having a pH of 11 or greater. The same meaning is to be attached to the term "immobile". The term "diffusible" has the converse meaning and denotes materials having the property of diffusing effectively through the colloid layers of the photographic elements in an alkaline medium. "Mobile" has the same meaning as "diffusible".
The term "associated therewith" is intended to mean that the materials can be in either the same or different layers, so long as the materials are accessible to one another.
The following examples are provided to further illustrate the invention.

Example 1

Photosensitive (donor) elements are prepared by coating the following layers in the order recited on an opaque poly(ethylene terephthalate) film support:

(1) Polymeric acid layer
(2) Timing layer
(3) Primer layer of poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride-co-acrylic acid) (weight ratio 13/73/14) (0.37 g/m²)
(4) Primer layer (see Table)
(5) Cyan redox dye-releaser layer
(6) Red-sensitive, negative-working, silver halide emulsion layer
(7) Interlayer
(8) Magenta redox dye-releaser layer
(9) Green-sensitive, negative-working, silver halide emulsion layer
(10) Interlayer
(11) Yellow redox dye-releaser layer
(12) Blue-sensitive, negative-working, silver halide emulsion layer
(13) Matte overcoat layer

The polymeric layer and timing layers are similar to those described in Research Disclosure, Volume 184, August 1979, Item 18452, pages 431 and 432. The redox dye-releasers are similar to those described in Research Disclosure No. 18268, Volume 182, July 1979, pages 329 through 331. The silver halide emulsion layers are conventional negative-working, 0.25 to 0.65µ silver chloride emulsions. The matte overcoat layer comprises gelatin (0.89 g/m²), methacrylate beads (2-4p, 0.017 g/m²), Ludox AM™ silica (particle size about 0.2µ, 0.45 g/m²) and 2,5-didodecylhydroquinone (0.38 g/m²). The total gelatin coverage in layers 3 to 11 is 8.8 g/m², hardened with 0.75 percent bis(vinylsulfonyl)- methyl ether.
A dye image-receiving element was then prepared by coating the following layers in the order recited on an opaque paper support:

(1) Dye image-receiving layer containing 0.16 g/m² 4-hydroxymethyl-4-methyl-l-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone and 3.2 g/m² of poly(l-vinylimidazole) quaternized to 10 percent with 2-hydroxyethyl chloride.
(2) Interlayer of gelatin (0.86 g/m²) and ultraviolet absorber 2-(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-t-amylphenyl) benzotriazole (0.54 g/m²)
(3) Overcoat of gelatin (0.65 g/m²)

The total amount of gelatin in these layers was 2.6 g/m². The gelatin was hardened with formaldehyde.
An activator solution was prepared containing:
Samples of the above donor elements were flashed to maximum density, soaked in the activator solution described above contained in a shallow-tray processor for 15 seconds at 28°C, and then laminated between nip rollers to dry samples of the image-receiving element. After 10 minutes, the donor and image-receiving elements were pulled apart. The extent of areas of emulsion from the donor element which transferred to the image-receiving element was estimated visually as follows:
The results indicate that use of Compound 6, according to the invention, by itself or with gelatin in a primer layer, or combined with an emulsion layer containing a redox dye-releaser materially improves wet adhesion and reduces emulsion transfer to the image-receiving layer.

Examples 2 to 5

Donor elements similar to those of Example 1 were prepared except that layers 4, 5 and 6 were combined. In each instance layer 4 contained 0.45 g/m of the compound noted in TABLE II. The same evaluation procedure was used as in Example 1.
The above results show that the four ionic vinyl polymers, when used as primer layers, appreciably improve wet adhesion and reduce emulsion transfer to the image-receiving layer.

Example 6

Donor elements similar to those of Example 1 are prepared, except that layers 5 and 6 are combined, and layers 7 through 12 are replaced by gelatin. The total gelatin composition of layers 5 through 13 is 8.4 g/m². The gelatin is hardened with 0.75 percent bis(vinylsulfonyl)methyl ether.
The same evaluation procedure is used as in Example 1 with the materials used in primer layer 4 identified below. The longest lamination time at 29.5°C for which no portion of the emulsion layer transfers to the image-receiving layer is recorded as follows:
The results indicate that use of Compound 13 with gelatin or by itself as a primer layer materially improves wet adhesion and reduces emulsion transfer to the image-receiving layer.

Examples 7 to 13

Donor elements were prepared as described in Example 1 with the exception that layers 5 and 6 were combined and layers 7 through 12 were replaced by a gelatin layer as in Example 6. In each instance Primer layer 4 contained 0.54 g/m² of the ionic polyester indicated in Table IV.
Results from the seven compounds listed in Table IV indicate that their use in a primer layer appreciably improves wet adhesion and reduces transfer of emulsion to the image-receiving layer.

Claims

1. A photographic element comprising a support having thereon, in order, a neutralizing layer, a timing layer and at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a dye image-providing material, characterized in that a layer of a vinylidene chloride polymer is present between said timing layer and said emulsion layer, and a coextensive polymeric primer layer is present between said vinylidene chloride polymer layer and said silver halide emulsion layer, said primer layer comprising:

(A) an ionic vinyl polymer comprising 10 to 30 weight percent of recurring units which conform to the structure:

and 70 to 90 weight percent of recurring units which conform to the structure:

wherein:

R is hydrogen or methyl;

R^*is alkylene of 1 to 6 carbon atoms;

R2, R¹ and R⁴ are each an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms;

G is oxygen or NH; and

X^- is an acid anion; or

(B) a ionic polyester comprising recurring units of:

(I) a diol component which comprises:

(a) at least 50 mole percent of units derived from diols having the structures:

wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 4; and

(ii) 0-(R⁶0)-_m, wherein m is an integer of from 2 to 4, and R⁶ is an alkylene group of 2 to 4 carbon atoms; and

(b) 0 to 50 mole percent of units derived from one or more diols having the structure:

wherein R' is an alkylene group of up to 16 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene group of 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylenebisalkylene group of 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylenebisalkylene group of 8 to 20 carbon atoms, or an arylene group of 6 to 12 carbon atoms; and

(II) an acid component which comprises:

(a) 8 to 30 mole percent of units derived from one or more ionic dicarboxylic acids, said units having the structures:

, and

wherein M is ammonium or a monovalent metal; and

b) 70 to 92 mole percent of recurring units derived from other diacids.

2. A photographic element according to Claim 1 characterized in that said recurring units derived from said other diacids comprise one or more of the following:

(A) 0 to 80 mole percent of diacids consisting of:

(I) aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, said units having the structure:

wherein p is an integer of from 2 to 12;

(II) cycloaliphatic diacids, said units having the structures:

or

, and

(III) aromatic diacids, said units having the structure:

(B) 0 to 60 mole percent of recurring units having the structure:

or

(C) 0 to 30 mole percent of recurring units derived from an alkylenebisamide, said unit having the structure:

wherein each Z is iminocarbonyl or carbonylimino, and q is an integer of from 6 to 10.

3. A photographic element according to Claim I characterized in that said primer layer comprises poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl- trimethylammonium methosulfate-co-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (weight ratio 20/80).

4. A photographic element according to Claim 1 characterized in that said vinylidene chloride polymeric layer comprises poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride-co-acrylic acid) (weight ratio 14/79/7).

5. A photographic element according to Claim 1 characterized in that said primer layer comprises poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis-(oxyethylene)-co-1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene (50:50) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-1,6-hexylenebis(iminocarbonyl-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'-sodio- imino-disulfonyldibenzoate (55:20:10:15)];

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-l,-6-hexylene-bis(iminocarbonyl-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'-sodioiminodisulfonyl- dibenzoate (55:20:10:15)];

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-1,8-octylenebis-(carbonylimino-4-benzoate)-co-3,3'-sodioiminodisulfonyldibenzoate (55:20:10:15)];

poly[l,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophenoxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (15:55:30)];

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophenoxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (45:40:15)];

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) succinate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate-co-5-(4-sodiosulfophenoxy)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (60:10:30)];

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) sebacate-co-3,3'-(1,4-phenylene)bisacrylate (80:20)]; or

poly[1,4-cyclohexylenebis(oxyethylene) terephthalate-co-l-methyl-l-cyclohexene-4,5-dicarboxylate- co-5-(N-potassio-p-tolylsulfonamidosulfonyl)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylate (10:70:20)].